WE’RE NOT A YOUNG PERSON ANYMORE. We’ve been around the block twice, worked in many different jobs back home in the Philippines, and worked as an OFW in our long and winding migrant journey. Yes, we’ve earned our wrinkles and kalyo deservedly.
But we continue to make the same mistakes, make the same old reactions, fail to take advantage of the same opportunities as a visitor / outsider / new member of the family here in our adopted land. Whether because we stick to our stereotypes of ourselves (ayaw ng gulo, ayaw ng confrontation, sobrang makisama), or because we don’t want to leave our comfort zone, we fail to become the best versions of ourselves, and become a self-fulfillment of what others think of us: Pinoy lang yan, kaya hanggang dyan na lang sya. Kulang yan sa ambisyon kasi. And other silly limits that we impose on ourselves.
With this in mind, we make suggestions to our 2020 self, from our present 2021 version, a little older, a little wiser, and hoping our counterpart from 12 months ago can learn from our mistakes, our failures to act, and our lack of vision to make ourselves and the world a better place:
Be a better dad. This is probably the most important thing we can do for ourselves and the ones we love. We have had kids in our distant past, but we weren’t the best inspirational enabling and educating types, which we now know to be the best kind of father there is. this is especially true when we are in the migrant setting: we show to our kids that we can be good fathers and head of the family in a different environment, away from the Philippines, and adjusting to situations that change every day.
Most especially, we’re going to be a dad again after 25 years. The energy level won’t be the same as before, we are more mature now, more appreciative of the moment, and more patient with having the baby. As everyone has told me, just enjoy everything about being a dad again, especially while being in New Zealand, which is one of the best places to be in considering everything.
Do more for my Pinoy community. While we’re not exactly admirers of other migrant communities (no need to be specific) we do notice something about them (there are only two Asian communities larger than the Pinoy community, we don’t need to tell you which): they have very strong community organizations. They’re very well organized, very closely interact with the actual members, and very well-funded.
Maybe we can’t measure up to them in terms of logistics and cash, but we can match them in terms of energy and commitment. Hindi ba sikat tayo sa spirit ng bayanihan? If our ancestors and relatives especially in the provinces could do it, we in New Zealand certainly can. We know we are already doing it in the smaller communities outside the major urban centers, we just need to sustain it, be more sensitive to the needs and situations of our kabayan, and act upon that sensitivity.
Do more for New Zealand. There’s a reason why our adopted country New Zealand is in the Happiness Index’s 10 happiest countries in the world. Good government, healthy environment, and where if you work hard, you will have a decent life sums it up. But also, New Zealanders are generally happy people, ready to help a stranger, and you get hi’s and hellos from people you’ve never met, every day.
But it didn’t get to be there by accident, and it won’t stay that way forever. People who live here have to work on it, keep building on successes, and look out for each other as friends, neighbors and people who live in the same country. We as Pinoys and kabayan are no exception. We need to do our share to continue making this place a good place to live in.
and lastly…
Be aware and know all about the law and law changes concerning immigration. Many, many kabayan here still await the dawn of the day when they receive the sweetest gift of permanent residency. To do this, they need to deserve it, to earn it, and prepare themselves for it.
On the other side of the coin, you cannot fully fault New Zealand for making it harder to become a New Zealander. Each year brings a bigger population, which means more mouths to feed, and to meet the challenge more wealth must be created, the greatest tool being more jobs. And these jobs should rightly be filled by existing New Zealanders first.
But the immigration policy of New Zealand through the years remains: if you are hardworking, law-abiding and have something to contribute to the New Zealand economy, you are welcome to stay within limits and ultimately will have a fighting chance to stay permanently. It will be a long journey for those who haven’t gotten there, but for many, it’s not the destination, but how you got there. All the more rewarding diba?
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If I do all the above, it won’t cure all my problems as a migrant in New Zealand, but it’s a good start.
A good start for the new year.
Thanks for reading, isang maasensong 2021 sa lahat!
